Photo Eric Verbonac

After waiting for the New Liskeard Cubs and North Bay U18 Trappers to determine their fate in Kapuskasing at the 2022 Great North Midget League playoffs, the 2022 GNML regular season champions, the Soo U18 Greyhounds took to the ice on Saturday, March 19th against the Timmins Rock in one of two semi-final matchups. The winner of the semi-final between the Greyhounds and Majors will faceoff on Sunday, March 20th in Kapuskasing for the 2022 GNML title against the Sudbury U18 Nickel Capitals.

With the Soo on a powerplay 48 seconds before the mdiway mark of the opening period, Jacob Smith finds the back of Timmins’ goaltender Thomas Armstrong through traffic to give the Greyhounds a 1 – 0 lead. Noah Aboflan and Adrian O’Dell drawing the assists on Smith’s goal. Zach Secord fires a slapshot from just in the left blueline to be tipped by Travis Poan to find the back of Soo netminder Charlie Burns to even the game 1 – 1 for the Majors at 8:05. Bradley Moore added the contributors on Poan’s powerplay goal. Aboflan fires a slapshot from the right blueline to bounce off of Armstrong and to be picked by Austin Fellinger lifting the Greyhounds go-ahead goal into the back of the Timmins’ net at 5:31. Cole Cond notched the other helper on Fellinger’s four on three powerplay goal. Callum McCauley sends a past from the left faceoff circle to Smith in front of the Majors’ net to slide the Soo’s third past Armstrong to give the Greyhounds a 3 – 1 lead. Finding the back of Timmins’ net just below the crossbar, Aboflan registers his third point of the game with a Soo five on three powerplay marker at the 1:54 mark of the period. Lincoln Moore and Gabe Zimbaro setup Aboflan’s goal. All alone between the Majors faceoff circles, Aboflan sinks his second of the game just below the crossbar with 31 seconds remaining in the period to send the Soo into the first intermission up 5 – 1. O’Dell drew the lone assist on Aboflan’s powerplay goal. With a scrum in front of Armstrong’s net, CJ Lees lifts an unassisted goal for the Greyhounds sixth over a sprawling Armstrong at 5:56 of the second to bring the lead to 6 – 1. Ryan Armitage picks up a Nathan Dutkiewicz rebound in front of Burns to sink the Majors second of the game at 12:24 of the third. Alexander Michel contributed on Armitage’s goal.

Coach Janie Henderson of the U18 Greyhounds told Saultsports that “Our special teams were huge tonight we took advantage early on and had a great start. Noah really led the way tonight he was a force all night it was nice to see him rewarded.”

“The boys have worked so hard for this opportunity and tomorrow we’ll face a great opponent it will be a tough match up,” added Henderson.

The Sudbury U18 Nickel Capitals will now face the Greyhounds after a 6 – 2 semi-final win in the 2022 GNML championship at 11:00 a.m in Kapuskasing. The winner of the GNML championships will advance to the 2022 OHF U18 Championship in Toronto, Ontario hosted by the Toronto Young Nationals on April 4 – 10, 2022.